Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1887-07-05


quarters of our globe. At that season
the sun is always hot in these ATTITUDES;
but it is often tempered by cool and
salubrious breeze from the Gulf So it
was upon this day. Many umbrellas
were raised in the vast throng of which
we are to speak to ward off the burn
ing rays of the sun; but the air was
soeooled by the sea breeze that crcptup
the harbor, past frowning walls and
shottcd guns of grim Moro Castle, and
through almost every quarter of the
city that the great concourse did not
seem to feel the heat.
The great square. surrounded by
whte-wallcd buildings, and variegated
with great palm-tpees and tropical
plants, WAS favorite resort of almost
all classes Of Havana after sunset, when
the fiery heats of the day were over.
But il was yet many hours to sunset
Whoever camo out at this hour and
fingered about the Paseo must have
good reason for it-<some other reason
beside mere idle lounging and chatting.
1t seemed as il every class in the
great city had contributed it's quota
to swell this crowd. Swarthy Spanish
military officers, In snowy uniforms
and gold lace; at least two regiments
of soldiers, with neat uniforms and ac-
couterments, and shining muskets and
bayonets; hidalgos of Spain, with their
families, carefully fenced away from the
throng; negroes and mulattoes of both
sexes. by the thousand; native Cubnns,
dark and swarthy, and hardly to be
distinguished from the Spaniar,ls. sail
ors by the hundreds from ships in the
harbor, representing every nation that
had canvas upon the high seas, and
not few Americans and Englishmcn,
either permanent residents of the city,
or temporarily there. All these classes
made up such a crowd MS the Paseo had
never seen before. Indeed, the place
was crowded to rcpletion. The dusky
Senoiitas who came in their great cum
brous voldnteS, with negro bestriding
the animal in the shafts. and who were
eager to see the spectacle, exclaimed
with dismay at tho thronS, and ordered
their drivers To go up close to the build
ings. where they would be out OF the
press. The hundreds of windows look
ing out upon tho Paseo. barred and UNI
glazed. after the Spanish fashion. We're
filled with eager faces and dark eyes;
and for hours Cuban women stood
there, intent to sec the spectacle that
was shortly to take place.
Great preparations had evidently
been made for this event A large
pine-board platform, without flags,
.drapery or decorations, had been erect
cd in'the middle of the Paseo. A few
rough wooden steps led up to it. Upon
the platform was n curious upright
machine. with lever behind it and a
rude chair in front of it. Around tho
platform, and close up TO it, the sol
diers were massed. Back of thcm, fill
ing all the space away to the walls of
the houses that incloscd the square,
was the great concourse of people.
All knew what was aboI. to occur,
and the solcmnity Of the occasion hushed
the multitude to silence. But here and
there throughout the crowd there was
a low murmur OF conversation, hardly
loud enough to be noticed from the
platform. which was soon filled with
the actors in the dreadful tragedy.
These murmured talks were OF course
mainly in the Spanish language; and
the following. which was overheard
and tianslated 10 me by an American.
will serve as a fair sample of the
whole:
"A bad mon--A vic honHrc."
"Ah yes, maioktto! and our Illus
trious and noble Cnptain-Gcneral
Concha docs well to suMmurily exc
cute him. What snyest thoup"
HDur-soi Twas born in Old CASTLE,
and hate the Americanoa who arc
always plotting and conspiring TO
wrcst our fair Cuba from us. But
what has become of this fellows COM